Oil conditioning device



Aug. 25, @zi-i.

J. Bf CLARK OIL CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed sept. 21, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet ly ATTORNEYS Aug. 25', 1942. J. B. CLARK y 2,294,330

. OIL CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed sept. 21, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 2 Aug. 25, 1942. J. B. CLARK 2,294,330

OIL CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Sept. 2l, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 i l l if I 4: ila/lll lll/i l l O' -Lvs. 56 y l if?" E v Z6' ATTORNEYS Aug. 25; 1942. J. B. CLARK 2,294,330

oIL CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed sept. 21, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 4 ff/Mgg;

5,0 INVENTOR E@ 66M@ M gcffnfv Patented Aug. 25,1942

1 ,i UNITED STAT OIL CONDITIONING DEVICE Joel B. Clark, Kenmore, N. Y., assigner to The Auto Appliance Patents Company, Youngstown,

Ohio

Application september zi, massi-iai No. 164,940

(ci. zio- 131) 11 claims.

'I'his invention relates to oil conditioning de vices such as may be used to advantage, for example, in conditioning the oil of internal com.- bustion engines where the oil is removed from the crank case and circulated under pressure to various parts of the engine and then drained back into the crank case. An oil conditioning device in accordance with this invention may advantageously be included in e. branch circulatory path of the oil withdrawn from the crank cme before it is delivered to the various parts of the engine to be lubricated. Variousiilters for rean improved replacement cartridge for use in such oil conditioning devices, which will be relatively simple, 'eiilcient vcompact and inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of some embodivments of the invention, and the novel` features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in moving impurities from oil have been included in 'I auch paths of oil, and'this invention particularly relates to an improved oil conditioning and -impurity removing device which may be utilized in l place of the ordinary .filters heretofore employed in such systems.

imately along the line 2-#2 of Fis. 1:

An object of the invention is to provide an improved oil conditioning device for inclusion in the circulating oil system of an internal combustion engine'or the like, or where it isdesired to treat or condition a circulating body of lubricating, oil.

Another obect of the invention is to provide an improved oil conditioning device which is relatively compact, eilicient, simple and inexpensive. l

which may be taken apart and a conditioning element or cartridge removed and replaced in a simple, easy and rapid manner, with which danger of leakage in the joints or couplings will be re,

duced, and with which maximum usefulness of all parte of the filtering media may be obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved oil conditioning device, with which the circulating oil is conditioned duringits circulation, with which stoppage of the circulation such as by plugging of the conditioning lmeans will be immediately apparent, which will indicate whether the conditioning media is exhausted in its conditioning qualities, which will be relatively simple, compact, inexpensive and easily incor.- porated in existing oil circulatory systems, and with which all of the parts may be readily and easily taken apart for replacement, cleaning and reassembly.

Another object 'of the invention is to provide an oil conditioning device of maximum capacity with a minimum of resistance to oil flow at all temperatures, and with a minimum of danger from obstruction to all of the flow due to the plugging of the conditioning media, and with which the replacement of part or all of the conditioning media may be accomplished in a simple, rapid and convenient manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of another part of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line l--Iv of Fig. 1;

Fig. t isy a sectional elevation, on a reduced scale, of a slight modication of the same;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation through an oil vconditioning device also constructed in accordance with the invention, and illustrating the' connection oi a plurality of conditioning units together to provide a plurality of separate paths of equal resistance to the oil flow, and also indicating the use of standard containers-for obtaining conditioning capacity of any desired size, the section being taken approximately along the line 5-5 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 6-8 of Fia. 5;

Fig. 'I is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation through a conditioning device having incorporated therewith a thermostatically controlled bypass;

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation through the bypass valve of Fig. 8, the section being taken approximately along the line l-S of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 8 but illustrating a slight modiiication of the thermostatically controlled bypass shown in Fig. 8.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the improved oil conditioning device includes a tubular casing i0 of any suitable material, such as sheet metal, which is provided with a removable cover or end wall il. This casing l0 is supported, preferably in an upright position, by any suitable means such as by brackets i2 connected to the body of the casing Il/'as usual in oil nlters for internal combustion enopen end oi the container.

casing I0. The cover II is preferably flanged adjacent its periphery sc as to telescope slightly with the open end of the container and thus resist lateral displacement of the cover on the The bottom end of the casing IU is provided with a drain plug I4 of any suitable construction, by which sludge or other heavy solids which may collect in the bottom of the casing I li may bewithdrawn atintervals.

.An oil inlet conduit or pipe I5 opens into the e.' interior of the casing, preferably through the side wall of the body of the casing. The inner face oi the cover or removable end wall II is provided with a tubular threaded extension or flange I8.

"A container or cartridge Il is disposed loosely within theA casing I0, and at its upper end it carries a threaded tubular neck or encircling flange I8 which telescopes with the tubular extension I6 of the cover Ii and is threaded thereto. so that the container Il may be removably coupled to the cover or removable end wall il Y of the casing. The projecting or free end or edge of the neck I8 is Banged laterally as at I9 so as tol engage against a gasket 20 provided on the inner face of the cover II, and thus eiect a sealing, -abutting engagement between the end of the neck of the container and the cover! I.

The cover II is also provided with an aperture 2| within the area bordered by the tubular extension I6, and this opening 2| is normally closed by a block or member 22 which bridges the opening 2| so as to abut against the outer face oi the cover Il beyond the limits of the opening 2|. An annular gasket 23 is interposed between the block or element 22and outer face of the cover II so as to seal the contact therebetween.

" Preferably the block or member 22 has aboss iltting within the opening 2|, so as to prevent lateral displacement of the member 22 on the cover II when confined thereon. The casing I0 is provided at diametrically opposite sides thereof, and closely adjacent its open end, with a pair v of strap like ears 24, which extend outwardly f t beyond the open end of the casing I5. These ears may 'be secured to the casing body in any A suitable manner, such 'as by 'spot welding the outer face of the block or member 22. so as to force it against the outer face of the cover II and conne it thereon, and also through the pressure thus created on the cover Il force or confine it tightly upon the open end of the casing Il), as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. By rotating the stud 29, any desired pressure may be placed on the block 22 and the cover II to conilne them in positions.

The block 22 is provided with an L.shaped or angular passage 3|. one arm of which extends downwardly through the inner face of the block 22 so as to open into the opening 2| of the cover II, and thence' through on opening in the gasket 20 into the tubular extension I6 and the neck I8 of the container I'I. The other or outer arm of the passage 3| opens laterally through a side face of the block 22, and a pipe or conduit 32 is screwed into this outwardly opening end of the passage 3|, which with the passage 3| serves as an oil outlet conduit for the casing. v

The container I1 may be made of any suitable material, but is preferably a sheet metal consame to the casing, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, and

' l the free ends of the ears 24 are provided with apertures 25. Preferably these apertures are sur- Q rounded by metal around their entire periphery,

in contrast with slots, so that metal will extend v `along both sides of the apertures 25 and connect 'f "the extreme end 'portion of. the strap with the body of the strap onA both sides of the aperture.

A bridge member or bar 26 extends between the ears 24 and through the apertures 2B thererof, the extreme ends being provided with iianges v v2l which hook through the'apertures 25 against the outer iacesthereof at the upper edges of; the apertures. The bar 26 is provided between its ends with a threaded passagdia and a stud 29 is threaded through thepassage 28, so that by'` Vrotating the stud it may bel threaded throught the bar or bridge member 26 to any desired extent and in either direction. Preferably the outer end of the stud 29 has wing arms 3B, by which it may be rotated to adjust it to dl'erent extents through the bar or bridge member 2o. The inner end of the stud 28 abuts against the tainer, and at the end opposite the neck I8 it is provided with any desired number of apertures 33. Preferably a plurality of small apertures are provided at intervals around the end oi' the container, so that oil from the casing I@ may enter the container Il at a plurality of points at that end of the container. The container I1 is otherwise imperforate and is substantially filled with a fibrous, oil'conditioning media 34, such as loose, soft brous cotton waste. This waste may be ordinary, untreated, soft ilbre, cotton waste or it :may be soaked or impregnated with an oil conditioning liquid. Such oil conditioning liquids are available in the open market, and any of them may be used, or the cotton waste may be unimpregnated or unsaturated.

` Thesel oil conditioning liquids or agents are absorbed by the cotton waste and held by capillary attraction. The circulating oil as it passes through vthe impregnated waste takes up some of can be easily drained oi, or are carried in sus-V pension by the circulating oil to the container I1 lwhere they are removed and held by the cotton or nbre waste in the container.

The impregnating agent in the waste 35 appears to prevent cohesion of the removed vsolids and hence retards obstruction'to ilow of oil through the cotton or brous waste.' By using soft fibre waste,A the capacity of the mass to hold impregnating liquids and to remove solids seems to be materially better than with hard bres.

' The Waste is preferably packed in the container suiiiciently compressedy to prevent any oi the oil from passing through the container from end to end without passing through a substantial body of the waste. Within the container at the end having the neck Id, I provide screening means which may and preferably does comprise a plurality of sheets of woven wire, mesh screening or fabric 35 disposed face to face and abutting against that end of the container, so as to bridge the opening enclosed by the neck or ange I8. The screen is confined against that end of the container and across the opening bordered or enclosedvby the flange I8, by the cotton waste or other conditioning media 34. Preferably, the screen sheet or layer against which the conditioning media directly abuts is of relatively fine mesh, so that the fibers of the media 34 will not project through the mesh to any substantial extent, and the other layer or layers of screening abutting the end wall of the containermay advantageously be of larger mesh to reduce the resistance to oil iiow therethrough. y

The oil entering the container I1 at the bottom thereof through the openings 33 will pass upwardly through the mass of cotton waste 34 to the screening 35, and thence pass through and along the screening to the container opening enclosed by the flange or neck i8. The oil, therefore, may pass through the mass 34 throughout its entire width, with equal resistance in `all parts of the mass 34, and then when it reaches the endabutting the screening' 35, the oil will travel along the screening with a minimum of resistance to the opening enclosed by the neck I8, and thence it willpass outwardly through the'opening 2I, passage 3|, and pipe 32.

From the pipe 32 the oil may be returned to the main body ofl oil in the engine or supplied to other machinery to be lubricated, but I prefer to include in series with this pipe 32 a device for indicating the operativeness of the conditioning mass 34. Inasmuch as the mass 34 removes a'considerable quantity of solid particles and sludge from the circulating oil, the intershould be so plugged as to seriously limit the. ow. of oil therethrough, this fact should beA made apparent without the necessity of opening the container. It is important therefore to have means by which one may readily ascertain, such as by inspection, that the conditioning mass 34 is functioning to remove impurities and also that it is offering no substantial obstruction to oil ow therethrough. Accordingly the pipe 32 is connected to a housing 36. This housing is provided in its bottom part with a passage 31 into which the pipe 32 is connected, and passage 31 terminates within/ the housing in a nozzle 38 having a dischargeorice 39 at its free end.

. The nozzle pipe 32 upwardly'intb the interior of the housing and against. a dome 4 which forms part of the enclosure of the hous g. This dome 40 may be of glass or other transparent material and is preferably Icup-like and disposed in fan inverted position with its open end downwardly and received within an encircling flange 4| provided on the base of the housing. 'A suitable annular gasket 42 is disposed between the open edge of the dome 40 and the base of the housing at the flange 4I, so as to seal the connection between the dome and the remainder of the housing., A bail 43 is hinged to the base of the housing 36 and swings over the dome 40, as shown in Fig. 3. The top of the dome 40 is provided with a slight recess 44, and a confining sleeve 45 abuts against the dome 40 within the recess 44.

The sleeve 45 is rotatably mounted on the hub of a hand wheel or button 46 which is threaded on a stud 41 that is secured on the bail 43 directly over the tcp of the dome. By turning the button 46 in one direction it will be moved substantially towards the dome 4%, and through the sleeve 45 carried thereby it will force the dome 40 firmly against the base of the housing. By rotating the button 46 in the other direction it will release the dome 40.' The 38 discharges the oil from the bail 43 may then be swung laterally to clear the dome 40 and release it for cleaning and replacement. The stud 41 may be secured to the bail.

43 in any desired manner. but advantageously the bail 43 passes through a slot 48 in the outer end of the stud 41 and the arms on opposite sides of the slot, at the open end of the slot,

Vare then sprung towards one another to lock the bar 43 within the slot.

The base of the housing 36 is provided with a chamber 49 opening upwardly towards the dome 40, which serves to collect the oil discharged upwardly into the dome from the nozzle 38 and draining therefrom. An outlet pipek50 is connected to the base of the housing 36 so as to open into the chamber 49, as shown in Fig. 1, and this serves to remove the oil from the housing 36 as rapidly as it collects in the chamber 49 so that the upper portion of the chamber formed by the dome 40 will not be lled with oil. The nozzle 38 discharges the oil against the top of the dome and a portion of this oil then runs down as a thin lm over the side wall of the dome into the collecting chamber 43 in the base of the housing. Inasmuch as the dome 4l is transparent at least on opposite side walls thereof, sufficient light will pass through the dome to indicate the color of the lm vof oil on the inside of the dome wall when viewed from the outside of the dome, and by observing the color ofthe oil in such iilm one may ascertainA removed before it reaches the housing 36.

The flow of lm over the transparent walls of the dome 40 indicates by its rapidityy of ilow whether or not thereis any serious obstruction to oil ow'in the container I1, and if anyssubstantial diminution in the flow is observed in the dome 40, one 'should immediately replace the container I1 with afresh container. Likewise, if the color of the oil lm in the dome 4l indicates any blackness, such as caused by care' bon particles suspended therein, this is an "ldication that the .conditioning mass 34 is 1.1% removing the impurities satisfactorily and a ne container I1 should be substituted. The pipe 50 is of course connected tothe lubricating system at the .-inttkesside of the oil pump, and pipe I5 is connected to the system at the delivery side of the oil pump which removes the oil from the storage container such as the crank case, for

delivery to the various parts of the machinery or engine to be lubricated.

In Fig. 4 a slight modification is illustrated in which the tubular flange I on the 4inner face of the cover is eliminated, and the small neck I3 of the container I1 is also eliminated. Instead, the top end wall 5I of the container I1a will be an ordinary plate having one or more apertures 52 therein, and the flange 53 formed by clamping the'periphery of the end wall 5I over the side wall of the container I1a acts as the peripheral flange of the neck, which abuts endwise against the same gasket I3 that. also serves to seal the cover Ila against the open end of the casing I0, and also encloses the end zone including the apertures 52. A coil spring 54 is interposed between the bottom of the casing I 0 and the bottom end wall of the container I1a, and holds the container Ila normally sealed against the gasket I3. yIt willbe noted that th pressurev of oil in t the .sealing action thereon',.and f hence vtheispring M' isnecessarycnly to connnerthecontainer I1a inpositionagainstrthe gasket- I3. `'I'he cover I Iais similar tothecover I-I except for the elimi- .I nationof the4 tubular extension I8,.and the con- -duit connection through .the blocker member 22y lathe same is inFigs. i to.3. The cover IIa is also coniined on the casing manner.

In Figs. 5, 6 and4 'I I haveillustrated another modification of the invention which may be adf vantageously usedwhen: a larger capacity for oil treatment is desired. In this embodiment of the invention, thecasing 55 is,.cylindrical, open at' both ends, and the ends are nonnally'closed by IQ-'in the samey ascenso plethe containers together. in eniltoJ-endlrela tion, as shown vclearly'inlii'g.5: Thenccksl of' each of the unitsflfis-siinilartothe:neckl I8 ofv the container I1 of Figs'. 1Land2I andatits-f'reer or outerv end it seats against' gasketsk in.' the extensions It or te seas to seal eachunit at its neck 64 to theunit against whichgthe neckabuts' -or-to the cover 51. Thus, all ofthe containers 60 and ti are carried by the cover 51`and maybe removed with the cover 51' as a single unit, yet

' the containers 60 and SI 'may be separated from one another by unscrewing eachcontainer from y 4the one to whichitis coupled or'theiirstonein removable end walls yor. covers and 51 which are similar to the covers II and IIa of Figs. 1` to 4.. 'I'he wall or. cover which forms-the bottom oi the casing 55 is similar tothe cover Hq of Fig. 4. in that it does not have the tubular kextension i8 of Figs. 1v to 3. The oil is supplied to the casi Ing 55 in this example through the bottom Icover I6 thereof, by means of an oil inlet pipe 58 which is. connected to a block or member 22whichis similar to the block 22 of Figs. lto 4. The cover ..or.wall 51 on the other nd of the casing 55 is similar tothe coverIIof Figs.V 1 to 3 and has a tubular, threaded, inwardly projecting extension' i6. The member 22 and an outlet pipe` 55' for removing oil from the casing are the same as member22-and pipe 32 ofFigs'.` 1 and 2. ABoth 'covers The casing 55 may be secured in operativeposi rtionjusually in an uprightposition, in any suitable m'anner sucha'svby straps 61 which are se-f cured to the casing 55 and have iianged, `aper-` tur'ed ends es by which the-unitmey be supported, as usualin oil filters. Each of the -containers 60 and 6I will, of course, be iilled with the same oil conditioning media 14 as the con- 5,6 and 51 areconflnedreleasably onthe ends of the casing,55 in-the' same manner as explained in connection with ther cover IIin Figs. 1 and 2,v

l Yand therefore.- such corresponding parts of this c'onning means in Figs. 5 to 7 are designated by the same reference 'characters and will not be f again described.

Within the casing 55 I dispose -a plurality ot oil conditioning containers 60 and 6I which4 are generally similar to the conditioning. container through the container l1, and in Idoing solit cornes.

I1 of Figs. 1 and 2. 'The container BI may be and 2, and the containers Glare' generally similar to container I1, but with certain differences which willv nowbe explained. Each' container 60 has a tube 62 extending through and .secured at one end to its bottom'walland approximately abutting at its other end against the screening means. 163 which isV similar tothe screening means 35 of Figs. 1 and 2.'.'Each tube 62 is imperforate from end to' end but open at both ends,.and maybe soldered or weldedto the bottonr'of'the container v identical-with the container' I1 shown in Figsel'f" in any suitable manner.- Each of these containers. and 6I -is provided with a tubularthreaded lneck orv flange 64 at its upper end. similarto they neck I8 of'container I1 of Figs. 1 and 2,-by which it is supported and by which'the'oil passingv through that` container isremoved. Eachfcontainer 60 and 6I'A at Iits bottom end is provided with a. plurality of apertures 55 the vsameas thev apertures 33 in Flgsjl and 2, by which 'oil from the top of the dome 40. The oil thus spreadsand.

the casing!! may'enter any or each container or oil conditioning element. Y

Each of the containers il is also. provided on vits bottom wall with lay depending tubular flange or extensionv Si which is similarto or identical with the tubular iiange I6 ofA the covers II and 51,v and the tube62 of each container 6! opens downwardly into this" tubular extension y66 on the bottomof that container. Each of these dem pending tubular extensions it is provided with threads, the same as the extension AIB in Fig. 1, so'that byscrewing the necks $4 into extensions of the abutting container, it is 'possible to'coul 4amount discharged isisubstantially below` nor' Itainer I1in Figs. 1 and-2.

The operation of the device shownin Figs..1 to '3 would, appear to be obvious from the foregoing description, but will be briefly summarized. The pipe I5 is connected to the oil pumpl (not shown) from which it. receives part of theoil-re- 'moved from thecrank. case or other. reservoir,

and thepipe 5c is connected to anotherpartofA the oil system'. When the oilpuxnpis running, it

` deliversoil under pressure through: the pipe I5 vto the interior of the casing I0, and the'oil passes to the bottom of the casing I 0 and entersthe con;

.tainer Hfthrough' the 4openings 33 inthe bottom e'nd wall thereof. The oil passes upwardly in intimate Contact withthe bres of the conditioning media 34, suchas thecottonwaste, and

as the oil passes through this mass,.solids such as` carbon particles, or metal, etc. are removed and'. Y

then the "oil collects in'the screening, means 35 and passes to the outlet formedbyjtheneck I8.

It'will be'understoodthat whenthemass 34 is treated with anA imp regnating agent which has the propertyofdisintegrating the sludge in a fcrank case or reservoir, or circulating intheoil.

which agents are available'gin` the open market, the oil will be. conditioned. further throughV its contact with the impregnating agent carried by the cotton waste, and the oil sovconditioned'vas it collects in the neck Il will pass out through the member 22 and pipe 32, from which it. is. discharged throughv the passage 31, nozzle 38. and orifice 89 as a stream againstthe inner faceof` mal, then it. indicates-astoppage ink the. mass 34 and a new container l1A should be substituted in the casingy it. The oil. running down'vover the wall of the 'dome 40 collectsfin thefbottom.` chamber 4 9, and` then ilows through pipe 50V back to vthe circulatory system. A A'1,0 replace a container I1 wheneverA the condi-" 'tioning massA M thereofv has Vbeen .substantially exhausted or has become plugged for any reason,

. one merely rotates the stud 29 to release the bridge bar 2l, whereupon the bridge bar may be removed. 'I'his releases the member 22 which is removed and this in turn releases the cover II which may then be removed. carrying with it the container Il. The container II is merely unscrewed from the tubular extension II and a new or fresh container i1 reconnected to the cover II by screwing it to the tubular extension IS until the upper hanged end Il of its neck Il seats against the gasket 20. The cover II is then replaced on the casing I0 with the container I'I within the casing, the block or member 22 replaced, the bridge bar 26 again disposed between the lugs or ears 2l, and by rotating the stud 2! the parts are again clamped in operative closed positions.

The dome 48 may be removed for cleaning by merely unscrewing the button 48 to release the dome, whereupon the bail I3 may be swung over to one side of the dome, and the dome thus released may be removed for cleaning or replacement. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the container I'Ia is not physically coupled to the cover IIa, but the flange 53 of the container Ila seats against the gasket I3 of the cover and is normally held thereagainst by the spring 54. In this example, the container Ila would be placed in the casing I and then the cover IIa applied in the usual manner.

In the example of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 7, the operation is similar to that described for Figs. 1 to 3 except that the oil entering the bottom of the casing 55 passes along the sides of the containers 6l and 6I and a portion of it enters the container 6! through the opening 85 in the bottom thereof, and other portions enter the containers Bil through the openings 65 in the bottom ends thereof. The oil that enters the lower container BI passes upwardly therethrough where it is conditioned and collected in the neck 84 which is coupled to the underside of the container Il just above it. It will be understood that there are no openings 85 in the portion of the bottom wall of any container SII which is bounded by its tubular extension 86. 'Thus the oil collecting in the neck I4 of the container Si will pass upwardly through the tube 62 of the container 6U to which container 6I is coupled, thence up through the tube 82 of the next container 60 coupled thereto, and so on until it reaches the top cover 51 from which it is removed bythe pipe 59.

The oil which enters each container 60 through the openings in the bottom thereof will pass through the cotton waste or other treating media 34 of that container and will collect in its neck N in the top thereof, from which it will pass through the, tube 62 of the next container 60 coupled thereto where it joins the oil passing therethrough from the other containers below it. Thus the oil entering the casing 55 will have a plurality o! paths ofA equal resistance available, each separate path being through one of the containers and after passing through any one of the containers it is conducted immediately to the cover 51 and then removed through the pipe 59.

I may connect any number of these containers 60 and 8| together, there being only one con-y tainer 6I normally utilized for each casing 55. In case one of the containers should become plugged for any reason, the oil can still pass through the other containers without causing stoppage of the iiow of lubricating oil to the parts to be lubricated. In order to remove or replace any of the containers when occasion becomes necessary, either or both oi the covers 56 and 5l. maybe removed, and the containers separated from one another by unscrewing, and other containers coupled together in the samemanner and reinserted in the casing. vIt will be noted that it is possible'to remove any one of the containers without removing the others il desired.

In all of these embodiments of the invention it will be noted that as the oil is conducted through the casing, a substantial area is exposed for cooling by radiation and conduction through the wall of the casing, which materially aids in keeping the lubricating oil at a moderate temperature during use in summertime.

It is known that various lubricating oils have a tendency to thicken when cold and this thickening is quite noticeable in extremely cold climates or during very cold weather. The thickening of oil in the conditioning device offers considerable resistance to iiow, and it heretofore has been dimcult to heat the thickened oil in a cold conditioning device suiliciently tol initiate free dow thereof through the conditioning device. In Figs. 8 to 10 I have illustrated this invention as including therein, means for overcoming this diliiculty due to the thickening of oil when cold.

Referring iirst to Fig. 8, the conditioning de-A vice is identical with that shown in Figs. 1 to 3,

except that a bypass adaptor .is interposed be-v tween the tubular, threaded projection I6 on the cover II and the tubular neck I8 `of the container Il. The parts in Fig. 8 which correspond to identical parts in Figs. l to 3 are designated by the same reference characters. This tubular adaptor includes a tubular casing or shell 69, the upper end of which is externally threaded in the same manner that the neck I8 is" threaded, so /y that it can be screwed into the tubular projector I6 in the same manner that the neck I8 would screw therein. This upper end o! the adaptor is seated and sealed against the gasket 2l in the same manner as the neck I8 seats thereagainst. This adaptor shell 69 is open at both ends so that its upper end which is attached to the cover II is in communication with the passage BI in the member 22.

The lower end of the shell 89 is provided with internal screw threads corresponding to those of the extension Il of the cover II, and the neck Il of the container I'I is threaded into this lower end of the shell 69. Preferably, the threads are provided in the lower end of the shell 69 by securing telescopically within ythe lower end o! the shell 69, a cup shaped member 'I0 which has its side wall threaded internally to receive the neck Il of the container in threaded relation. This member 'I0 alsohas an end wall Il provided with an aperture l2, and a gasket 'I3 seats against this wallV 1I in the same manner that the gasket 2l is seated at the end of the extension I8 nearest the cover II. The gasket 13 also has an opening 14. so that oil from the container I1 may iiow'upwardly through the adaptor shell 69 and out through the passage 3 I.

vA bypass sleeve 'l5 is secured in the shell 89 between the neck I8 of the container and the ex- Y tension I6 of the cover II, so as to provide a passage through the side wall of the shell 69. 'I'his sleeve 'I5 may conveniently be threaded through a bushing 16 that is secured in and extends transversely through the side wall of the shell 68. -The sleeve I5 is adjustable, such as by threading it through the bushing 16, and a lock nut 11 is threaded on the outer end of the sleeve to compress a gasket or washer 18 against the outer face of the bushing 18 and secure the sleeve inv y diilerent adjusted positions. The sleeve has a bore or passage 18 from end to end therethrough, and at its inner end, that is, the end within the shell 89, it is provided with a frusta-conical seat 88. A thermostatic element 8| is mounted withaccesso controlling various devices, but I have found to be very eilective, a bellows type of thermal .element such as that shown. This element is of bellows-like construction andV containsa substance which 'causes it to expand endwise whenv heated and to contract when cooled. Thesebellows type thermal elements are available in the open market. making further description unneceary, but are disclosed, for example, in U. S. Patents Nos. 1,813,168 and. 1,999,732. By having the iree end of the rod 82 Iof this bellows device slidingly guided in the sleeve at all times, there can be no material buckling of this bellows type4 cross section, and this reduced section has vanes' or fins 84, Fig.v 9, which run in a direction lengthwise of the reduced section, so as to slidingly engage the bore of the sleeve and yet provide the'ilutes that allow passage of oil along the bore of the sleeve 15.

In this type of device, the inlet pipe I5 is preferably connected to the c'asing III near the lower end thereof, so that hot oil delivered by the pump through the pipe I5 will pass along the interior oi the casingv I8 for a substantial or the major portion ofthe length of the container I1, in order to reach the passage 18 in the sleeve 15, and the oil can then pass through this sleeve 15 into the shell 88 and out through the opening 3|, Thus and restrict this ow of oil. When the temperature vo1' the o il is up to a desired temperature, the device 8| will shift the shoulder 83 iirmly against the seat 88 and obstruct all flow oi oil through this by-pass sleeve 18, whereupon all of the oil passing through the casing I8 will have we have a bypass around the container |1 for of thermal device after it has forced the shoulder 88 into closed or yseated position on the seat-88 and a further rise in temperature occurs. o

In Fig. 10 the same type of adaptor is applied to the type of device shownY in Figur, it being understood that the shell 89a of this adaptor is interposed between the top container 88 and the cover 5,1. The thermally controlled bypass in this adaptor shell 88a may be the same as shown in Fig. 8, but, by way o! example, I have illustrated another type ot valve controlled by the thermal device 8|.

through'a bushing 16a'in the side wall of the casing of the adaptor shell 88a, and the free end of the rod 82a is vcylindrical throughout its length and slides in a cylindrical passage in the inner end of the bore 18a of the sleeve 15a. The bore 19a however has a frusto-conical seat in the nature of a shoulder 85, and a ball 88 is disposed in the inner end oi the bore so as to roll along the same toward and from the seat 85. The rod 82a prevents the escape '.of the ball from the inner end of the bore 18a.

The portion of the sleeve 15a within the chamber provided in the adaptor shell 88a is proto pass through the container I1 and be condi- As soon as the temperature falls suiiiciently, however, the contraction vci the thermal device 8| will open the bypass and allow rapid flow of hot oil through the casing I8, until the temperature of the oil in the casing I8 is again up to the desired temperature. The movement of warm or hot oil along the sides of the container I1 will heat the same and thus by conduction heat the conditioning mass and the cooled and thick oil within the container I1, so that this oil in container I1 will be made more iluid and thus free to ilow. Hence, when an engine is cold and just starting up, the flow of the oil','as it becomes heated, will quickly heat the container I1 and free the sluggish thick oil therein, and thus place the conditioning device in effective operation promptly, even in cold weather. By adjusting the sleeve 15 further into or out of the adaptor shell, the temperature at which the bypass will be closed may be varied, because this adjustment vided with apertures 81 adjacent, but inwardly from, the seat 85 so that as soon as the ball 86 is released by the rod 82a, it will be forced by the oil pressure away from its seat, and oil may then.

ilow through the bore 18a, past the seat 85, then out of the sleeve through openings 81, and thence through the chamber of the adaptor to the outlet A' passage 3|. The sliding engagement of the rod 82a in the inner end of the sleeve 15a restricts any material buckling of the thermal bellows'-y like element 8|, and guides itin a manner to force the ball 88 into closed position on its seat 88v after a desired temperature has been reached. Further pressure on the thermal device 8| on the ball 88 following a further rise in the temperature of the oil will have no e'ect on the valve except to hold it closed with greater pressure. By ad- .iusting the sleeve15a through the wall of the adaptor, the temperature at which the bypass will close, and prevent the flow of oil through the varies the extent that the thermal device must sleeve may be varied, because this adjustment varies the extent that the thermal device 8| would have to expand in order to effect a closing of the valve.

It will be understood that either type of 'bypass valve may be employed with either type of conditioning apparatus. It will also be `understood that various changes in the detaila'materials and arrangements'oi parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle'and scope oi the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

IK claim: j

1. An oil conditioner comprising a container In this embodimentof the l I invention, the vadiustable sleeve 15a is threadedv accesso form a row in said casing. each of said containers having at its upper end an opening enclosed byv having an imperforate end wall with a tubular neck extending outwardly and endwise from said wail, and of substantially lesser cross sectional area than the cross sectional area of said end wall, a pair of woven wire screens disposed face to face with one another in said container fiat against the entire face area of said end wall, the outermost of said screens being of relatively coarse mesh and the other of said screens being of finer mesh, loose fibrous oil conditioning me.- dia substantially filling said container and abutting said screens and having an opening for the entrance oi' oil adjacent the end opposite said neck and means for circulating oil through said container in a. direction. from the end opposite said neck to said neck.

2. A cartridge for an oil conditioning device comprising a container having an imperforate end wall with an opening oi substantial lesser face area than of said end wall, enclosed by a tubular ange projecting endwise and outwardly therefromyscreening means within said container and abutting dat against substantially the entire area of said end wall and bridging the opening bordered by said flange, and a loose fibrous oil conditioning mass confined in said container against said screening means, said container being apertured adjacent its end opposite that having the flange, said screening means comprising a plurality of layers of woven screen fabric disposed face to face with one another in superposed relation.

3. An oil conditioning device comprising a tubular casing, a plurality oi' containers within said casing and spaced at least partially from the walls oi said casing, each oi said containers being substantially closed but apertured adjacent one end thereof, and at its opposite end having an opening enclosed by a tubular projecting ange, screening means disposed in each container against the end having said tubular ange and bridging said opening bordered by said ilange. a iibrous oil conditioning mass confined in each container against the screeningmeans, said containers being disposed in similar positions but end to end in a row in said casing, with the hanged ends oi the containers between any two containers in a row abutting against the aper-` tured end of the next adjacent container in the row, each of said containers which abuts at its said apertured end against an adiacent container, having an open ended tube passing from end to end therethrough from the apertured end thereof to said screening means, opening through said apertured end into the space enclosed by the abutting flange of the next adjacent container, and also having its apertures in its apertured end disposed exteriorly of the area abutting the next adjacent container, means for removably connecting the free flanged end of the container at one end of the row to a wall of said casing, an outlet conduit opening through said casing wall into said connecting means. and an oil inlet means connected to another part of said casing for supplying oil under 'pressure to the interior oi said casing, which oil divides and different poi-,

tions pass through the conditioning mass in different containers, and then directly and by said tubes to the outlet conduit opening, whereby said containers are in effect connected to provide separate optional paths for the trav-el of the cil through the casing.

4. An oil conditioning device comprising a casing having a removable cover, a plurality of containers disposed end to end with one another to Gli a tubular flange projecting from that end of the' container, the top container oi the row having its, flange abutting and sealed against the inner face of the cover, and each of the other containers in the row having its flange abutting vand sealed against the bottom end of the container next" above it, the bottom endportion of each con tainer being apertured exteriorly of the abut-' ting area of the ilange ot any next lower con` tainer, each container having therein a woven screen extending across the opening enclosed byI its said tubular flange, a fibrous oil conditioning mass within the container and abutting the screen, an oil inlet conduit opening into said cas ing below said cover. and an oil outlet conduit opening through said cover into the top container within the area enclosed by the ange of the top container, each of said containers above the bottom one having a tube opening through the bottom and into the area enclosed by the abutting flange ci the next lower container and extending upwardly at least approximately to said screen in that container, whereby oil admitted to said casing may pass through any one ci said con tainers and after passing through any of said containers below the top container may pass upwardly through the tubes directly to the outlet conduit without passing through the conditioning media in those upper containers.

5. An oil conditioningl device comprising a casing with an oil inlet and an oil outlet, a container in said casing having inlet and outlet openings, an oil conditioning mass therein through which oil must pass between said openings, said container havingits outlet removably communicating with said casing outlet by a closed passage, a conduit opening at one end into the interior of said casing at a point remote from said casing inlet opening and at its other end into said `oil outlet, for providing a by-pass for oil between said casing inlet and outlet past a substantial surface area of said container, and an automatic device having a thermal element disposed in the path of travel of both by-passed oii and oil passn ing through said mass in said container and a valve element controlling said conduit and operated by the thermal device, for closing said bypass when the temperature of the oil passing through said casing exceeds a selected temperature, and for opening said by-pass when the temperature of oil meeting said element is below said selected temperature.

6. An oil conditioning device comprising a casing, a container having therein an oil condition- Aing mass removably disposed in said casing, said casing having a tubular flange projecting from an end wall thereof and an opening through said end wall in the space bounded by said ilange, means connected to that end wall for ren/lawine oil from said casing'through said opening and the space bounded by said flange, a tubular conol duit telescopically and releasably connected to said flange to form an extension thereof and open at both ends, said container having an open end bordered by a tubular iiange telescopicaliy releasably connected to the free end ci said tubs lar conduit, said container having therein a .it brons mass ci' oil conditioning media and being; artured adjacent the end farthest from its end having the ange, an oil inlet opening intc said casing exterioriy o! the flange thereon, said con duit having an opening in its side wall thereof,

aiording communication from said casing directn 1y into said conduit and thence to said oui-1ct, and

thermostatic means disposed within said conduit and operable to close said passage in the wall of the conduit when the temperature inthe'conduit exceeds a predetermined temperature. andoperable to open said passage when the temperaturey 2,294,330 v iet. a mier cartridge within said chamber and having an inlet and an outlet, a conduit connecting the outlet of said cartridge to the outlet of in said vconduit falls below said predetermined temperature, whereby said thermally controlled passage in the conduit by-passes oil through said casing around said container until the temperature oi the oilL rises to a predetermined value,

and `then closes saidpassage toiorce all ofthe oil through said container for conditioning.

7. An oil conditioning device comprising a casingv having a chamber therein', aA pair of containers disposed end to end in said chamber, and

,A each containing a ltering medium, the end face of one container which is adjacent the other container having an opening, and said other container having a similar opening at the end remote vvfrom the adjacent ends of said containers,

said chamber, the inlet of said cartridge opening into said chamber', a controlled bypass between the interior of said conduit and said chamber and having therein a valve operable when open to connect the chamber of the casing directly to the interior of said conduit, and a. thermally responsive elementV connected to and operating ,said valve, disposed in a position to be responsive to the temperature of the oil reaching said conduit, and operable, when the temperature oi the oil in said conduit at said element is belowa predetermined temperature, to open said bypass, and

when the temperature of oil at said element is above. a predetermined temperature to close the bypass, the inlet to said casing being disposed a substantial distance from the opening o1' said bypass into said chamber so that the oil passing through said chamber and said bypass must pass said other container having a passage therethrough and open at one end into the opening 'of that container, and passing through an imper- Y forate wall in the opposite end thereof. which is adjacent said one container, adjacent ends of said containers having sealed communication with one another between said opening in said one container lwith the adjacent end of said tube, means associated with said casing for lestablish-- ing'a closed communication from the exterior thereof toA said opening in said other container,

1 said casing also having a passage therethrough into said chamber separate from said closed communication, each container being apertured at a circulated through said chamber and the ltering medium of either container.

8. An oil conditioning device comprising a casing having an inlet at one point and an outlet at another point, a container within said casing and having therein anoil conditioning medium ing the outlet of said container to the outlet of said casing and having vtherein a thermally responsive element, a by-pass from said conduit to the chamber of said casing and controlled by said thermally responsive element, and opened by said l element when the temperature of the oil passing said element is below a predetermined temperature and closed when above a predetermined temperature, the inlet connection to said casing i being disposed a substantial distance from the bypass and at least partially past said container Y so' that oil entering the casing through said inlet must either pass through the container or travel along the container in heat exchanging relation thereto for a substantial distance -to reach the bypass.

9. An oil conditioning device comprising a casl distance from its outlet whereby-a liquid may be in heat exchanging relation to. said cartridge.

10An oil conditioning device comprising a casing, filtering means within said casing. means for conducting oil through said casing and filtering means therein, and means responsive to the temperature of the oil leaving said casing for bypassing the oil through said casing and past, f

but in heat exchanging relation to, said'ltering means whenever the temperature oi' the oil leaving said casing is below a selected temperature.

11. A filtering device comprising .a casing lformed of separable sections and having a chamber, an inlet opening and an outlet passage opening into said chamber, a container removably disposed in said chamber land having an outlet passage communicating directly with and forming l and inlet and outlet openings,` a conduit connectj.

' forming a multi-layer screen and preventing movement of said medium through said wall and facilitating fluid flow along said adjoining wall portion to the apertured portion, said container having an opening into said chamber at a substantial distance from said apertured wall, wher eby uid entering said'chamber must enter said y container and pass through said filtering medium and said extension passage to reach said casing outlet, and minimum possible resistance to escape of fluid from said iiltering medium will be ing having a chamber with an inlet and an outobtained.

JOEL B. CLARK. 

